4.4--Hip Surgery (Week I)

SURGERY!!

4.4.11
(Isn't that the coolest date ever...4.4.11?)

For those o' you who were wondering about my hip surgery, here is the 411 on the hip surgery. For the past year I've been having joint pain and extreme trouble walking up and down stairs. I chalked it up to me getting older and my gymnastics career. This past fall the pain was so bad that there were times when I couldn't even get out o' bed. One day, I had to call Adam and have him come home from work so he could help me get out o' bed! It was at the time I contacted my doctor and after many doctor's visits and a few x-rays and MRI's later, they diagnosed me with avascular necrosis o' the left femur. That's a fancy way o' saying that the head o' my left femur was dying. Because I've taken prednisone on and off since I've been 15 years old it caused some damage. The prednisone caused a clot in my femur, resulting in no blood supply to the head o' the femur, causing the bone to die. Because this was caught relatively early, they wanted to do the surgery as soon as they could. Their fear was that my hip joint would colapse...then I'd need a total hip replacement. The hardware for the hip replacement only last 10-15 years before it needs to be replaced. So they wanted to get in and do the surgery before it collapsed.

The surgery involved drilling into my femur, cutting out all the necrotic bone, and putting donor bone and donor putty in the space. When they got in, they said there was more necrosis than what they expected. Thus why they ended up putting the donor bone in me.

Doctor's said, 6-8 weeks then do another MRI to see if the donor bone has bonded with my bone. Once they bond, I will be able to put weight on my foot. So it's a matter o' laying on my bed and listening to the doctors!! (:

Laying on the couch right after surgery.

We weren't really ready for this picture.

So thankful for my bestie, MO!! Love her!

Haha..this picture just makes me laugh!

The awful...TED hose!!

Adam made Italian Chicken and Corn on the Cob!

Drink and meds, that's all I need!

Foot propped up to decrease swelling.

Broth...MMmmm.... (:

MO painted my nails...with swirls!

All you need...cell phone, TV remote, Wii-mote!

MO painted her nails too! (:

My first REAL food...noodles in some broth!!

I was pretty excited about it!! (:

MO had to drive me to my doctor's in State College for my 2-day post-op visit.

In the waiting room...YEAH!

Feet Picture... (:

Mo's gorgeous engagement ring!

Super awesome shoes!

Haha...sweet calves? calfs?

Yup, we made it there safely!!

2 days post-op sight.

Swollen, hurting, but looks like it'll be a small incision.

They put me in the gymnasts room!! YEAH!!

My PA, Lexi and Dr. Bader.
(They told me the felt special cause nobody has ever asked for their picture before.)

After the appointment, Mo wheeled me out to the car. Well, the ramp things all had these bumps on it. It was awful. So then when we went up/down the ramp, it rattled the wheel chair, which rattled my hip, which then made me cry. Ugh...whoever designed this obviously has never been injured or been in a wheel chair.
AHH...not the bumps again!!

Don't you just LOVE stupid people!!

On the way home from the doctors, MO and I realized a pretty major complication--how would I get upstairs to my bed? With quick thinking on my part, and a quick text to Bobbi Jo Gearhart, we were able to stop by their house to pick Nate up so that he could carry me!!
Me and STRONG Nate.

He carried me out o' the car, up the porch steps, through the downstairs, up the steps, around the corner, and placed me gently on my bed!! Towards the end o' the trip, he started to breathe heavier...I think I was starting to get heavy for him.

Good thing he's a STRONG boy.

MO made lunch one evening. She made BBQ Chicken in the crockpot, with some brocolli, and some white rice. She was very surprised at her amazing cooking ability. I told her, she's going to make Brandon all fat!! (:
Here's the meal...isn't it lovely?

My "ugh-I'm-sick-o'-laying-in-my-bed" face!

Pushing lots o' fluids!

Adam eating his food on his "seat"

Supper was soo yummy!! (:

After supper it was time for my SHOT!! BOOOO...but MO is a nurse, so she knew just how to do it! What a lovely time.

Cleaning the site off with an alcohol wipe.

Gotta get out all the air bubbles...

"There's gonna be a BIG bite!"

Then I cried...

Gorgeous flowers from my church.

My Card-Board!! Such great friends...

Checking his email...

Mo pulled my pants up a li'l too high!

Our toilet doesn't flush all the time...Mo fixed it!

Tacos and cucumbers...yummy...

Don't they look delicious!!

Mo checking for edema!

Mo talking with Brandon while icing my hip.

PTL for Net-flix!!
(Best $8..ever!!)

Sleeping on my side...
There are about 9 pillows holding me up.

The beginning o' a three picture photo shoot!

This is my "Jill Face"!! (:

Naked Feet!!!
TED hose off for a few minutes!

Ted hose have to go back home.

Haha...it's very difficult!!

Lotion fell on the floor and squirted!

Alas...it was time for MO to fly back to Massachusetts!!

I'm sure gonna miss this gal!!

Sure gonna miss my bestie!!

Mo went back to Massachusetts; however, her help that first week after the surgery was amazing!! There would have been no way to make it through without her help. Thanks soo much MO!! You are amazing, and I love you!!

THE END!!!
(...o' week ONE)